This is important. We saw the role of #QAnon in what was essentially an attempt to overthrow American democracy. The FBI has classified QAnon as a domestic terror threat.
Any PM, regardless of party, with an association with a QAnon follower, is at risk in a number of ways. 1/
2/ Risks to a PM include to his/her physical safety, potential blackmail, attempts to influence national debate or policy, even if via another person. There are also potential risks that sensitive information being accessed.
If we had a Labor govt, the Coalition would be...
3/ ...screaming for the (Labor) PM to answer any and all questions, fully and frankly. This is a matter beyond party politics as it goes to national security. A PM who thought he/she was not vulnerable by an association with someone with ties to #QAnon would be very foolish.
4/ A PM who did not answer questions about an association with a member of #QAnon would be unfit for the office. #auspol
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1/ Emerging information on the govt's 'negotiations' with #Pfizer is alarming.
Greg Hunt has been avoiding answering questions on when discussions started but claimed official negotiations didn't begin until Dec 2020.
Listen to Dr Norman Swan & Raf Epstein. ⬇️
2/ In #qt on Thursday Greg Hunt said the govt commenced "negotiations with #Pfizer...after the end of June". He said govt decided to back #AstraZeneca instead, on the basis of medical advice. Callum Foote's article (Michael West Media 19 June) suggests this could not...
3/ ...have been possible. Bill Bowtell, UNSW Adjunct Professor of Strategic Health Policy, that advice must have been based on “commercial and political advice”. michaelwest.com.au/governments-ap…
You may have seen the recent decision by Justice Bernard Murphy in the Federal Court to approve a settlement of at least $1.8billion for victims in the #robodebt class action.
Justice Murphy called the #Robodebt program a huge waste of public money. 1/
2/ Justice Murphy also said the #Robodebt scheme was unlawful, "a shameful chapter" and "massive failure in public administration" of Australia's social security scheme. abc.net.au/news/2021-06-1…
3/ The judge also commented on victims' sense of shame at wrongly being branded 'welfare cheats', their anxiety & distress, which led in some cases to suicidal ideation & suicide. 😭
You'd hope the Morrison govt would have learned from this shocking saga, but you might be wrong.
Peter Hartcher nails it. In the Morrison govt there's no care & no acceptance of responsibility. We know what happened in #agedcare last year. You’d think the fed govt would have put extra protections in place against any recurrence. 1/ smh.com.au/politics/feder…
2/ The Morrison govt would have a plan for vaccinating residents AND workers in #agedcare homes as a priority. You'd think...but it seems only around 10% of workers in aged care homes have been vaccinated. They think...
3/ Turns out the fed govt doesn’t know how many have been vaccinated & they don’t even know how many workers are in the system. 😳😳😳
This week, Sen Richard Colbeck refused to say he was responsible for aged care vaccinations. When Sen Watt (Labor) criticised Colbeck...
As I could hardly make sense of the PM's presser today, I thought it might work as a children's book...
Scotty makes a word stew
Scotty had been having a bad time. It seemed nothing was going right and everyone was blaming him. Scotty didn't like this. Not one little bit! 1/
2/ But Scotty knew what to do. He'd hold a presser! He'd say lots and lots of words and put on his important face.
So he came out from his office at Bubbleworld, puffed himself up as everyone watched, and started to talk...
3/ ...and talk...and talk. Scotty said lots of words. He said things like "points of presence", and "an in principle disposition", "fast lanes, green lanes, priority lanes". The words got more and more mixed up. They started to turn into a stew...
If you're interested in #DomesticViolence services being appropriately funded, does the "pink" #Budget21 do the job?
Domestic violence services funding increases by $250m per year – but is then CUT by 99%, down to just $2.3m, in 2025-26. 1/ thenewdaily.com.au/finance/news-f…
2/ So the govt either thinks #DomesticViolence will be non-existent by 2025 or the funding from 2021-2025 is a cynical political move.
3/ Alison Pennington @ak_pennington points out the "pink" bits of #Budget21 involves "small, short-term spending for women, compared with permanent & much more expensive changes announced for high-income earners & men. #auspol
Some interesting reader comments on Scott Morrison in the SMH.
"rather than showing true leadership, the PM is totally focused on gaining electoral advantage...his refusal to admit any mistakes and never apologise has become rather tiresome". 1/ smh.com.au/national/nsw/c…
2/ "Many have noted Morrison’s reactive style, particularly in areas of discomfort or when challenged and his unguarded, sometimes clumsy, comments...Stubbornness and an absolute inability to admit error and to attempt to deflect blame only add fuel to the fire".
3/ The fed govt "...has sidestepped its full constitutional responsibilities for quarantine; tried to dump as much of the work as it can on the states; poured cold water on any creative proposals; and been dragged kicking and screaming into any expansion of quarantine services...